GK and Current Affairs Updates

NATIONAL

Govt further extends Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme to June 30, 2021

•The Central Government has extended the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 3.0) by another three months till June 30, 2021, or till such time that an amount of Rs. 3 lakh crore is sanctioned under the Scheme. Additionally, the government has also introduced certain modifications in the ECLGS scheme to further contribute towards economic revival.

Modified rules:

•The limit of credit has been enhanced to 40 per cent of outstanding loans as of February 29, 2020. This limit was 20 per cent earlier.

•The scheme would now also cover borrowers with total credit outstanding up to Rs 500 crore, with overdues for 60 days or less on February 29 2020, as compared to 30 days overdue earlier.

•The tenor of loans granted under ECLGS 3.0 is 6 years with a moratorium period of 2 years on repayment of principal. In ECLGS 2.0, the tenor was five years with a 12-month moratorium.

•Further, the scheme has also introduced providing an incentive to MLIs (member lending institutions) to enable the availability of additional funding facility to the eligible beneficiaries.

•The ECLGS was announced as part of the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package of Central Government to provide fully guaranteed and collateral-free additional credit to MSMEs, business enterprises, individual loans for business purposes and MUDRA borrowers.

Education Minister inaugurates ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ at IIM Jammu

•Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal has inaugurated “Anandam: The Center for Happiness” at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu virtually. The centre will help people overcome mental stress and help spread positivity and it will encourage and propagate holistic development for all the stakeholders at IIM Jammu. Lieutenant Governor, Jammu, and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha; Founder, Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar virtually graced the occasion.

•The purpose of establishing ‘Anandam’ at IIM Jammu is to bring holistic well-being. Regular physical exercises at the Center will contribute to the wellness at the physical level for both the students and the faculty. Under the concept of ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ will be divided into five broad categories, namely, Counselling, Holistic wellness, Elective courses on Happiness Development, Research and Leadership & Faculty Development.

OBITUARY

Beloved children’s author of US, Beverly Cleary passes away

•Beloved children’s author of US, Beverly Cleary passed away. She was named a Living Legend in 2000 by the Library of Congress. In 2003, she was chosen as one of the winners of the National Medal of Arts.

•The author whose memories of her Oregon childhood were shared with millions through the likes of Ramona and Beezus Quimby and Henry Huggins.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Utkal Divas or Odisha Day is celebrated on 1 April

•Utkal Divas or Utakala Dibasha is celebrated on April 1 every year to remember the formation of the Odisha state after a struggle to be recognised as an independent state. Under British rule, Odisha was part of the Bengal presidency, which consisted of the present-day Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. The state was originally called Orissa but the Lok Sabha passed the Orissa Bill, and Constitution Bill (113rd amendment), in March 2011 to rename it Odisha.

•The region became part of Kalinga after it was conquered by Magadha King Ashoka in 261 BC to expand his Mauryan rule. After Mauryan rule, King Kharavela’s rule began in Odisha. Kharavela managed to avenge the Mauryan invasion by defeating Magadh. Historians credit Kharavela for laying the foundation for Odisha’s fame as a land of art, architecture and sculpture. He also managed to establish a powerful political state.

•Gajapati Mukunda Deva was the last Hindu king of Odisha. He was defeated by the Mughals in 1576. A few hundred years later, the British took over and divided the state into different parts. The northern and western districts of the state became part of what was then called the Bengal presidency.

•The new province of Odisha was formed after people’s continued struggle, which finally paid off on April 1, 1936. Sir John Hubbak was the first governor of the state. Notable leaders from that movement are Utkala Gouraba, Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani, Gopabandhu Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, and many others.

International Transgender Day of Visibility: 31st March

•International Transgender Day of Visibility observed globally on 31st March every year. The day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

•The day was founded by US-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall of Michigan in 2009. As a reaction to the lack of LGBT recognition of transgender people, citing the frustration that the only well-known transgender-centred day was the Transgender Day of Remembrance which mourned the murders of transgender people but did not acknowledge and celebrate living members of the transgender community. The first International Transgender Day of Visibility was held on March 31, 2009. It has since been spearheaded by the U.S.-based youth advocacy organization Trans Student Educational Resources.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr Sharankumar Limbale to receive Saraswati Samman 2020

•Noted Marathi writer Dr Sharankumar Limbale will receive Saraswati Samman, 2020 for his book Sanatan. The award carries fifteen lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque. Saraswati Samman, instituted by KK Birla Foundation in 1991, is recognised as the most prestigious and highest literary award in the country.

•Dr Limbale’s Sanatan has been published in 2018. Sanatan is an important social and historical document of the Dalit struggle. Speaking first to All India Radio, Dr Limbale was overjoyed with emotion as he started his career with the public broadcaster.

Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘Hamnet’ wins book critics award for fiction

•Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, an imagined take on the death of Shakespeare’s son from the bubonic plague, has won the National Book Critics Circle prize for fiction. Hamnet, an unfortunately well-timed story for the current pandemic, explores the impact of the boy’s illness and death on his family. He was Shakespeare’s only son, and scholars have long speculated about his influence — if any — on “Hamlet,” which Shakespeare worked on in the years following Hamnet’s death.

•Tom Zoellner’s Island on Fire: The Revolt That Ended Slavery in the British Empire won for nonfiction, and Amy Stanley’s Stranger in the Shogun’s City: A Japanese Woman and Her World was the winner in biography. The autobiography award went to Cathy Park Hong for Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

A book titled “Names of the Women” by Jeet Thayil

•A book titled “Names of the Women” authored by Jeet Thayil. The book talks about the women whose roles were suppressed, reduced, or erased in the Gospels.

•Jeet Thayil is a renowned author, best known for his book ‘Narcopolis’ which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012 and won the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. His most recent book ‘Low’ was released in 2020.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Govt pegs market borrowing at Rs 7.24 lakh crore in 1st half of FY22

•The government has decided to borrow Rs 7.24 lakh crore in the first half of 2021-22 fiscal (FY22) to meet resources to revive the economy hit by coronavirus pandemic. This borrowing is 60.06 per cent of the estimated gross issuances for fiscal 2021-22.

•According to Budget 2021-22, the estimated gross borrowing is pegged at Rs 12.05 lakh crore in the financial year beginning April 01, 2021. The government raises money from the market to fund its fiscal deficit through dated securities and treasury bills.

RBI extends deadline for processing auto-debit payments by 6 months

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the timeline for processing recurring online transactions by 6 months to September 30, 2021. Earlier in December 2020, RBI had directed all banks including RRBs, NBFCs, and payment gateways that the processing of recurring transactions (domestic or cross-border) using cards or Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) or Unified Payments Interface (UPI) would not be continued beyond March 31, 2021, if they do not comply with Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA).

•This means that with effect from April 30, 2021, there were supposed to be no automatic recurring payment for various services, including recharge and utility bill, under arrangements/practices not compliant with AFA. However, banks and payment gateways had sought additional time to comply with the RBI directive on automatic recurring payment. Taking it into consideration, RBI decided to further extend the timeline.

Government announces Rs 14,500 crore capital infusion in 4 PSBs

•The Central Government has announced to infuse Rs 14,500 crore in four state-owned lenders namely Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of India and UCO Bank in 2020-21, by issuing non-interest bearing bonds to these banks. This infusion will complete the government’s total capital infusion of Rs 20,000 crore in public sector banks for the current financial year 2020-21. Earlier in December 2020, it infused Rs 5,500 crore in Punjab and Sind Bank.

•The Recapitalisation bonds will be issued with six different maturities, and the special securities would be “at par” for the amount as per the application made by the eligible banks. Banks require capital to meet the mandatory reserve requirements laid out by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), make provisions for bad loans and kick-start the lending cycle when demand revives in the economy.

Union Bank of India launched “UNI – CARBON CARD”

•Union Bank of India has launched “UNI – CARBON CARD”, an HPCL co-branded credit card on the Rupay platform of NPCI. It is a unique card designed with association with one of the largest Public Sector Bank, Union Bank of India and HPCL, a leader in the fuel retail and Rupay – India’s largest card payment network. It will create an opportunity to create value for the customers.

Benefit:

•The Bank is having a total network of 9590+ branches and 13280+ ATMs across India, this co-branded credit card is a Bank’s maiden joint venture.

•While using this card at HPCL retail outlets, the cardholder gets Cashback/Rewards in addition to the waiver of fuel surcharge provided by the Bank.

•Cardholders will be able to enjoy many freebies and offer brought out by NPCI such as Entertainment, Lifestyle, Travel, Shopping, Food delivery, etc.,

•The card is offered to salaried and others. The card limit offered is 20% of gross annual income with a minimum of Rs 50,000/- with no upper limit.

INTERNATIONAL

New Zealand passes miscarriages bereavement leave law

•New Zealand’s parliament has passed legislation giving mothers and their partners the right to paid leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth, becoming only the second country in the world to do so. India is the only other country with similar legislation.

•The leave provisions apply to mothers, their partners as well as parents planning to have a child through adoption or surrogacy. One in four New Zealand women has had a miscarriage. The bill will give women and their partners time to come to terms with their loss without having to tap into sick leave. Because their grief is not a sickness, it is a loss. New Zealand was the first country in the world to give voting rights to women and has been a pioneer on issues around woman’s rights.

Suez Canal reopens after giant stranded ship is freed

•The giant container ship “Ever Given” that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for the last week resumed its journey, after being successfully refloated. The efforts to float the delinquent Panamanian container ship Ever Given are successful.

•The 1,400-foot-long cargo ship jammed diagonally across a southern section of the Suez Canal, leaving a total of 367 ships, including dozens of container ships and bulk carriers, unable to use the key trading route.

Indo-Korean Friendship Park Inaugurated at Delhi Cantonment

•India’s First Indo-Korean Friendship Park was jointly inaugurated at Delhi Cantonment by Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, and Hon’ble Minister of National Defence, Republic of Korea Mr Suh Wook. The park has been developed in joint consultation with the Ministry of Defence, the Government of India, the Indian Army, the Delhi Cantonment Board, the Embassy of Korea and the Korean War Veterans Association of India.

•Besides being a symbol of strong India-South Korea friendly relations, this park will also act as a monument to India’s contributions as part of 21 countries that participated in the Korean war 1950-53, under the aegis of the United Nations.

NATIONAL

India, US Carry Out Joint Military Drill In Himachal Pradesh

•The 11th edition of Indo-US joint special forces exercises Vajra Prahar 2021 was conducted at Special Forces training school located at Bakloh, in Himachal Pradesh. The exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ is aimed at sharing best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics. The exercise was aimed at improving interoperability between the special forces of the two countries.

•The armies of participating nations jointly train, plan and execute a series of operations for neutralisation of threats of varied nature with a common aim of countering threats of international terrorism through mutual training and jointness.

Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre inaugurated at Khajuraho

•The Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan jointly inaugurated the ‘Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The Convention Centre has been developed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, adding another feather to the UNESCO World Heritage site at Khajuraho.

•This new venue will cater to the business needs, by hosting meetings and conferences. The Convention Centre is equipped with all modern amenities and infrastructure to offer a secure space to host corporate banquets for teams both large and small amidst a soothing decor and ambience.

UP govt organizes ‘banana festival’ in Kushinagar

•Uttar Pradesh government was organised a ‘Banana Festival’ in Kushinagar, which has witnessed the participation of at least 35 farmers and entrepreneurs. The state government had in 2018 organised the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme to promote traditional enterprise.

•Noting the good cultivation of bananas in Kushinagar, products in the district made from banana fibre were selected in the ODOP scheme. At least 4,000 farmers are linked to banana cultivation and after inclusion in the ODOP scheme, around 500 people are employed in its processing. There are three banana fibre processing units in the district and the construction of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) is also planned.

Nagaland Health Minister launches ‘i-Learn’ for Community Health Officers

•Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom has launched i-Learn, a capacity building and performance tracking application for Community Health Officers, CHOs in the state at his office chamber in Kohima. The state government launched the i-Learn application in partnership with USAID-NISHTHA/Jgpiego which will cater across the 189 Health & wellness centres in the state.

About the “i-Learn”:

•i-Learn is a learning management system for CHOs with self-facilitated learning for improving and learning new skills in clinical and non-clinical areas.

•The state is committed to defeating the pandemic and as such it has rolled out several interventions including digital technology like the Naga Telehealth services.

•The Naga Telehealth, a telemedicine platform launched just about six months ago has received a good response from the state’s own medical doctors and CHOs wherein more than 1000 teleconsultations have been conducted.

SPORTS

India tops the medals tally with 15 gold at Delhi ISSF Shooting World Cup

•India finished at the top of the medals table at the 2021 ISSF World Cup New Delhi, held from 18 to 29 March 2021 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. India secured 30 medals which included 15 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze. The USA came second with eight medals including four gold, three silver and one bronze.

Winners of Gold Medal

1.Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar: Men’s 50-metre rifle three positions

2.Saurabh Chaudhary, Shahzar Rizvi and Abhishek Verma: Men’s 10-metre air pistol team event

3.Swapnil Kusale, Chain Singh and Neeraj Kumar: Men’s 50-metre rifle three positions team event

4.Gurjoat Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmad Khan: Men’s Skeet team event

5.Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Toidaiman, Lakshay: Men’s Trap team event

6.Chinki Yadav: Women’s 25-metre pistol

7.Yashaswini Singh Deswal: Women’s 10-metre air pistol

8.Yashaswini Singh Deswal, Manu Bhaker, Shri Nivetha Paramanantham: Women’s 10-metre air pistol team

9.Rahi Sarnobat, Manu Bhaker, Chinki Yadav: Women’s 25-metre pistol event

10.Rajeshwari Kumar, Shreyasi Singh, Manisha Keer: Women’s Trap event

11.Saurabh Chaudhary/Manu Bhaker: 10-metre air pistol Mixed Team event

12.Divyansh Singh Panwar/Elavenil Valarivan: 10-metre air rifle Mixed Team

13.Tejaswini/Vijayveer Sidhu: 25-metre rapid-fire Pistol Mixed Team

14.Sanjeev Rajput/Tejaswini Sawant: 50-metre rifle three positions Mixed Team

15.Angad Vir Singh Bajwa/Ganemat Sekhon: Trap Mixed Team

OBITUARY

1971 Battle of Basantar hero, Lt Gen Pinto (retd) passes away

•Lieutenant General, Walter Anthony Gustavo ‘WAG’ Pinto (Retd), a military hero who led an infantry division to a legendary victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan War has passed away at the age of 97.

•He led the 54 Infantry Division in the Battle of Basantar in the war that gave birth to Bangladesh, leading his troops from the front with the motto he coined “bash on regardless”.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India & Bangladesh inks 5 MoU to Boost Cooperation

•India and Bangladesh have signed five Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to further boost bilateral cooperation. The signing of the MoUs took place on 27 March 2021, between Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Dhaka. Indian PM Narendra Modiji was on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh to join the twin celebrations of Bangladeshi Founding Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. This is the first trip of PM Modi to a foreign country since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

MoUs signed in the following areas

•Disaster management, resilience, and mitigation.

•Cooperation between Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) and National Cadet Corps of India (INCC).

•Establishment of a framework of cooperation in the area of trade remedial measures between Bangladesh and India.

•Supply of ICT equipment, courseware, and reference books and training for Bangladesh-Bharat Digital Service & Employment and Training (BDSET) Centre.

•Establishment of sports facilities in Rajshahi College field and surrounding areas.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

66th Filmfare Awards 2021: Check Complete List of Winners

•The awards for the 66th annual Filmfare awards were announced. The event was hosted by actors Rajkummar Rao and Riteish Deshmukh. Despite the difficulties the film industry faced during 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Filmfare decided it was important to commemorate the best of Indian cinema. Among the winners was the late Irrfan Khan, who won the award for best actor in a leading role (male) category, while Amitabh Bachchan bagged the best actor (critics) Award.

66th Filmfare Awards 2021:

1.Best Film: Thappad

2.Best Film (Critics): Prateek Vats (Eeb Allay Ooo!)

3.Best Director: Om Raut (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)

4.Best Actor in a Lead Role (MALE): Irrfan Khan (Angrezi Medium)

5.Best Actor (Critics): Amitabh Bachchan (Gulabo Sitabo)

6.Best Actor in a Lead Role (Female): Taapsee Pannu (Thappad)

7.Best Actress (Critics): Tillotama Shome (SIR)

8.Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Saif Ali Khan (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)

9.Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Farrokh Jaffar (Gulabo Sitabo)

10.Best Story: Anubhav Sushila Sinha and Mrunamayee Lagoo Waikul (Thappad)

11.Best Screenplay: Rohena Gera (SIR)

12.Best Dialogue: Juhi Chaturvedi (Gulabo Sitabo)

13.Best Debut Director: Rajesh Krishnan (Lootcase)

14.Best Debut Female: Alaya F (Jawaani Jaaneman)

15.Best Music Album: Pritam (Ludo)

16.Best Lyrics: Gulzar (Chhappak)

17.Best Playback Singer (male): Raghav Chaitanya – Ek Tukda Dhoop (Thappad)

18.Best Playback Singer (Female): Asees Kaur (Malang)

19.Lifetime Achievement Award: Irrfan Khan.

INTERNATIONAL

US President Biden invites PM Modi to Leaders Summit on Climate

•President Joe Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to a US-hosted virtual summit on climate next month to underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action. Biden will host a two-day climate summit of world leaders starting on Earth Day, April 22, in which he will outline the US goal for reductions of carbon emissions by 2030, known as the nationally determined contribution under the historic Paris accord.

•The White House said a total of 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, were invited to the conference, which will be live-streamed to the public.

•Other leaders invited for the summit include Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering are the other two leaders from South Asia to be invited for the mega-conference.

OBITUARY

Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker passes away

•Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker passed away. He was the founder and director of the Mumbai International Literary Festival. He was in his mid-70s, was the editor of several publications including Mid-Day and The Independent and played a vital role in opening the Akashwani Auditorium in south Mumbai as an art movie theatre.

•Dharker had been the editor of a variety of publications, starting with ‘Debonair’, ‘Mid-Day’; ‘The Independent’ and ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’.

•He was a columnist for The Indian Express newspaper and has authored ‘The Romance Of Salt’, a book on Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March. He had also worked as a TV show producer and anchor.

•He was also a member of the Advisory Boards of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Children’s Film Society of India.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

SAIL Chairperson Soma Mondal appointed Chairperson of SCOPE

•Soma Mondal, the chairperson of the state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), was on March 26, 2021, elected the new chairperson of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE). Mondal will have a two-year term starting April; she took

•SCOPE is an apex professional organization representing the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). It promotes excellence in organisations where public investment is involved, in order to enable them to be globally competitive.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India and US agree to revamp SEP

•India and the US on Monday decided to revamp the existing energy cooperation framework to focus more on clean energy keeping advanced American technology and the rapidly growing Indian energy market in mind to reflect new priorities set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden.

•Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm have decided to revamp the India-US Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) accordingly and convene the third meeting of the revamped SEP at an early date, requesting anonymity.

•“Earlier, two SEPs were [held under the Trump Administration], where the focus of energy cooperation was more on supply of fossil fuels from America rather than cooperation in reducing carbon footprints. While the import of fossil fuel from the US will continue, Washington will support India’s efforts for clean energy,” the official said. The inaugural SEP, a ministerial meeting, was first held on April 17, 2018. Its second meeting took place on July 17, 2020.

India, South Korea agree on joint production, export of military hardware

•In a significant move, India and South Korea have agreed to go for joint production and export of military hardware, enhance intelligence sharing and boost cooperation in cyber and space domains as part overall expansion of defence and security ties.

•The decisions were taken during delegation-level talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his South Korean counterpart Suh Wook on Friday with both sides resolving to give a major push to ramp up ties.

•The South Korean minister was on a three-day visit to India from Thursday last that was focused on boosting bilateral defence and military cooperation.

7th annual summit of NATHEALTH

•Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, addressed the 7th annual summit of NATHEALTH. The summit focused on ‘Indian Health system expansion in post-COVID era’. While addressing the summit the minister reiterated the commitments of the government for fulfilling the goal of Health for all.

•The primary vision of the policy-framework is to attain highest possible level of health and well-being for all irrespective of all age groups. To attain this vision, the policy emphasizes on preventive & promotive aspects of health and providing universal access to good quality healthcare services. Government also launched Ayushman Bharat program with the objective of providing Universal Free Access to primary health care, promoting health and wellbeing.

About Health Union Budget 2021-22

•Union Budget 2021-22 also identifies Health as one of the six main pillars to drive growth.

•It has adopted a holistic approach towards health and wellbeing with a financial allocation of Rs 2,23,846 crore in 2021-22.

•It accounts for an increase of 137% over 2020-2021.

•To achieve the objectives of the policy, the government is working towards increasing health expenditure by 2.5 % of GDP 2025.

•The government is also encouraging State Governments to increase State sector health spending to 8% of the State’s GDP.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Mahinder Giri Wins International Ranger Award

•Mahinder Giri, a range officer who has been deployed at Motichur range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) for the past few years, has become the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious International Ranger Award.

•The award has been announced for 10 professionals across the globe by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), “based on their contribution towards conservation”.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

PM Modi unveils new version of 'Exam Warriors'

•PM Modi unveils new version of 'Exam Warriors' to make them stress free before examinations.

•The new version of Exam Warriors written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now available with many new mantras for students as well as parents. It is available at retail stores as well as online. The Exam Warriors module is also available on the NaMo App.

• In a series of tweets, Mr Modi said, the new edition of the book has been enriched with valuable inputs from students, parents and teachers. Substantive new parts have been added that would especially interest the parents and teachers. He said the book reaffirms the need to remain stress free before an exam. The Prime Minister added that it has many interactive activities for students and parents.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Deutsche bank's new investment Banking head

•Deutsche Bank has named Fabrizio Campelli to lead its investment bank — part of a raft of board changes — as the German lender's chief executive, Christian Sewing, steps back from managing the unit.

•Campelli, who has most recently served as its chief transformation officer, will take responsibility for Deutsche's corporate and investment bank, it said in a statement. The move is part of a series of changes at the bank, which include handing Sewing a renewed contract to keep him at the helm until 2026, in what it described as a "clear signal of continuity".

S&P raises India’s FY22 GDP growth forecast to 11% from 10%

•S&P Global Ratings raised India’s growth forecast for the financial year 2021-22 to 11% from 10% earlier, led by an expansionary fiscal policy aimed at boosting domestic private spending.

•It has also raised the 2021 growth forecast for China to 8% from 7% on stronger-than-expected exports and lingering momentum in the property market.

NATIONAL

Jal Shakti Minister approves incentive fund

• Seven States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh qualified for performance incentive grantfor 2020-21 under Jal Jeevan Mission(JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to provide assured tap water supply to every rural home by 2024. For performance incentive grant, the criteria include physical and financial progress under JJM, functionality of piped water supply schemes and capacity to utilize the fund.Union Minister, Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Sekhawat approved Rs. 465 Crore as performance incentive to these States.

• Despite CoVid-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns and disruption,speedy implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission on the ground has set an example and during the financial year, more than 3.16 Crore rural households have been provided tap water connection. Presently, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Goa and Telangana States have become ‘Har Ghar Jal' States/ UT and every household in 55 districts and 85 thousand villages of the country, have tap water supply.

Shaheed ashfaq ullah khan Park inaugurated

• After a long wait, Gorakhpur has finally got its own Zoological Garden, named after freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan.

• Dedicating the project to the people of Gorakhpur, chief minister Yogi Adityanath who inaugurated the zoo on Saturday, said that this had been his dream project and would be another marker of Gorakhpur’s development, serve and a medium of tourism and help to generate employment. This is the third zoological garden in the state. Lucknow and Kanpur have one zoo each. Hailing Khan after whom the zoo has been named, the CM recalled his participation in the Kakori incident during India’s freedom struggle, for which he was martyred. “The Kakori incident and Gorakhpur have an unbreakable relationship. The immortal freedom fighter Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, also the mastermind of Kakori incident, was kept in Gorakhpur jail and hanged here.

Residential hockey centre of excellence to come up in Lucknow

• A centre of excellence in hockey will be set up in the Uttar Pradesh capital soon. The union sports ministry, with support from the state government, has taken the decision to nurture talent in a state which produced hockey stalwarts Dhyan Chand and Kunwar Digvijay Singh ‘Babu’ and has a rich history in the game.

• A 100-bed hostel for boys and girls, modern sports medicine and physiotherapy centres as well as top coaches would be part of the centre to come up at the state government-run Padma Shri Mohd Shahid Synthetic Stadium.

• The union sports ministry will fund the centre at a venue that already has facilities for hockey, tennis, badminton and squash. The Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate will run it in consultation with Uttar Pradesh Hockey.

Delhi cabinet gives nod for purchase of 300 e-buses

• The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal for purchase of 300 low-floor fully electric air-conditioned buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) under the Central government’s “faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles in India (FAME) phase-II” scheme.

• The government in a statement said the first tender called by DTC in October 2019 was “not found responsive” and, therefore, the process was cancelled. A fresh tender was later called in June 2020, but that too was cancelled as the rates were not found to be competitive. Finally, a third tender in December 2020 was found to be responsive and competitive.

Global Wind Report 2021: 2020 was Best Year for Wind Industry

• Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry as this sector installed 93GW of new capacity in 2020, according to a new report titled ‘Global Wind Report 2021, released by the Global Wind Energy Council. This is the 16th annual flagship report, released by GWEC on March 25, 2021. The 93GW represents a 53% year-on-year increase.

According to the report:

• The global wind power market increased four times in size over the past decade but the record growth was seen in 2020.

• This increase was driven by a surge of installations in China and the US alon

• Together, the US and China installed 75% of new installations in 2020 and account for over half of the world’s total wind power capacity.

• In the current scenario, 743GW of wind power capacity has been installed worldwide, which is helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.

• However, GWEC’s report shows that the current rate of wind power installed will not be enough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

• The world needs to install a minimum of 180 GW of new wind energy every single year to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

• Similarly, it will need to increase the capacity to 280GW annually to meet the net-zero emission target by 2050.

OBITUARY

Former RBI Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty passes away

• Former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, KC Chakrabarty passed away. He was the deputy governor of the central bank between 15 June 2009 and 25 April 2014 when he demitted office three months before his term was to end. Prior to the stint, he had served as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Punjab National Bank (2007-2009), and CMD of Indian Bank (2005-2007).

• Chakrabarty started his career as a banker with the Bank of Baroda where his last assignment was to head the UK operations of the bank between 2001 and 2004. Chakrabarty, who had spent nearly four decades across multiple public sector banks, often spoke his mind on critical issues concerning the banking sector. He was also famous for his wit and sharp retorts.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Nilam sawhney is new State Election Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh

• Nilam Sawhney, former chief secretary and adviser to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, will be State Election Commissioner of AP after the retirement of the incumbent, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar at the end of the month.

• Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan approved Sawhney’s name for the post on Friday. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

HDFC Bank Named India's Best SME Bank by Asiamoney

• HDFC Bank has adjudged the ‘India’s Best Bank for SMEs’ at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards 2021. In its evaluation, the magazine said on its website – “HDFC Bank’s transformation of its micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) business over the past few years makes it a worthy winner of this award.” The Annual Best Banks survey of the financial magazine based in Hong Kong aims to identify which banks in each market have excelled across a range of core banking activities over the past 12 months.

• Asiamoney’s award decisions were made by a team of senior journalists after receiving detailed submissions from market participants and in conjunction with research into the banking and capital markets by our editorial committee. Senior editors also visited each country or territory to meet leading bankers and gather client and competitor feedback.

World Bank Releases “World Development Report 2021"

• The “World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives” was released by the World Bank. The World Development Report focuses on how data can improve the lives of poor people and advance development objectives, to ensure no one is left behind. It highlights the tremendous potential of the changing data landscape to improve the lives of poor people, at the same time acknowledging its potential to open back doors that can harm individuals, businesses, and societies.

• Through this report, World Bank aims to support its client countries by identifying where public and private sector investments are the most critical, defining a rich program for policy reform and technical assistance, and highlighting areas in which global initiatives can help to convene and facilitate cross-border cooperation.

INTERNATIONAL

Republic of Congo President Sassou Nguesso wins election

• The longtime president of the Republic of Congo, Sassou Nguesso is set for another five-year term after getting over 88% of the vote. The election day was marred by the death of his main opponent, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas.

• The African leader is one of the world's longest-serving presidents, earning him the nickname "emperor."He has led Congo for a total of 36 years. The former paratrooper first became president in 1979 and remained in power for three consecutive terms.

NATIONAL

Air India to be 100% Privatised: Hardeep Puri

• The much-delayed privatisation of Air India is likely to be completed in the first half of this year, said Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday. “We’ve decided that Air India will be 100 per cent disinvested.

• The choice isn’t between disinvestment and non-disinvestment. It’s between disinvestment and closing down. Air India is a first-rate asset but has an accumulated debt of Rs 60,000 crore.

DD Free Dish has crossed about 40 million subscribers

• DD Free Dish, a multi-channel Free-To-Air Direct to Home (DTH) service of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, has crossed an estimated 40 million subscribers, according to a report. The EY FICCI Media Entertainment Report 2021 attributed the growth to less expensive television sets, economic issues, launch of the DD Retro Channel and return of big broadcasters to the Free Dish platform, a statement said.

• DD Free Dish has continued its strong growth trajectory and its base has crossed an estimated 40 million subscribers according to the report.

• Television households will continue to grow at over 5 per cent till 2025, driven by connected TVs NSE 2.22 % which could cross 40 million by 2025 and DD Free Dish could cross 50 million, the statement said.

UP to have maximum number of international airports in the country

• Uttar Pradesh will soon be the state with maximum number of international airports in the country. With three new international airports expected to be made operational in the next three years, the state will soon have five international airports.

• The Yogi Adityanath-led government in UP has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the Kushinagar airport, which got the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA’s) approval recently, thus becoming the third licensed international airport in UP after Lucknow and Varanasi.

SPORTS

‘Girl Gang’ Announced Official Song Of ICC Women’s World Cup 2022

• Girl Gang, a track by New Zealand singer Gin Wigmore, has been announced as the official song of the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup.

• The tournament is set to be hosted in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3, 2022. Originally scheduled to be held from February 6 to March 7, 2021, the World Cup was postponed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rahi Sarnobat, Chinky Yadav and Manu Bhaker clinch Gold at ISSF Shooting World Cup

• In Shooting, India won gold in the women's 25m Pistol Team event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi. India beat Poland in the final to win the country's 10th gold. The Indian women's team of Rahi Sarnobat, Chinki Yadav and Manu Bhaker beat Poland's Joanna Iwona Wawrzonowska, Julita Borek and Agnieszka Korejwo 17-7 in the gold medal match.

• Earlier in the day, the Indian women's team in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event had to settle for a silver as they lost 43-47 to Poland in the gold medal match. India is dominating the standings with 21 medals, including 10 gold medals.

OBITUARY

Noted Odissi dancer Laxmipriya Mohapatra passes away

• Noted Odissi dancer Laxmipriya Mohapatra, the wife of legendary classical dancer Kelucharan Mohapatra, passed away.

• She started her dancing career at the Annapurna Theatre in Puri in 1947. She has also acted in four Odia movies. Though he was an expert in Odissi and Gotipua dance forms, Kelucharan was then performing as a tabla player in the theatre.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Carmen Maria Machado wins The Rathbones Folio Prize 2021

• 'In The Dream House: A Memoir' by Carmen Maria Machado Wins The Rathbones Folio Prize 2021. In the 2019 book, the author outlines her experiences in a same-sex relationship with her former partner, and the abuse she was subjected to. It is at once an inventive and radical work, a true testimony to her narrative gift.

• The prize is open to all genres – fiction, non-fiction, and poetry- from writers from around the world. It is the only prize in which all the books considered for the prize are selected and judged by an academy of peers, though there are three main judges.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of independence

• Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of its Independence and National Day on 26 March, coinciding with the grand celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

• On March 26, 1971, Bangladesh was proclaimed as an independent nation by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and this led to Bangladesh Liberation War when war ensued between Pakistan and Bangladesh liberation forces with Indian support.

NATIONAL

IIT Kharagpur wins CoreNet Global Academic Challenge 6.0

• A team of four undergraduate students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur emerged as winners at the CoreNet Global Academic Challenge 6.0, sponsored by Cushman and Wakefield, KI and IA: Interior Architects. The team comprised Siddhant Samarth, Pratim Majumdar, Rishita Raj and Utkarsh Agrawal and were guided by Prof. Jenia Mukherjee (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences).

• The team from IIT Kharagpur was one of the four teams to progress into the final round out of 1300 teams all over the world and were pitted against the University of Washington, New York University and the University of Denver in the final round hosted online on 18th March 2021. This is the first time that a squad from India has emerged as winners in the CoreNet Global Academic Challenge since the inception of the competition in 2015.

Vizag gets mobile water from air kiosk and Water Knowledge Centre

• The Hyderabad-based startup, Maithri Aquatech has set up the world’s first mobile water-from-air kiosk and ‘Water Knowledge Centre’ in the smart city of Visakhapatnam. This initiative is supported by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and project SEWAH (Sustainable Enterprises for Water and Health) – an alliance between USAID and SWN (Safe Water Network).

• The kiosk will provide clean potable water from the air by making use of Maithri Aquatech’s Meghdoot solution as a source to generate water with no dependency on groundwater as well as surface water resources.

• The kiosk will also function as a Water Knowledge Resource Centre (WRKC) by creating awareness and imparting necessary information to members of the local underserved communities as well as nearby schools on the benefits of good water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices.

J&K LG Manoj Sinha e-inaugurates 73 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres

• Jammu and Kashmir, LG Manoj Sinha has e-inaugurated 73 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat across the UT. These centres aim to promote good health and expanding the outreach of comprehensive primary healthcare services to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

• The Lt Governor observed that AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres would be a game-changer in the UT of J&K, especially in promoting the AYUSH sector, so that comprehensive primary health care through AYUSH principles and practices is provided to the community for achieving the basic objective of holistic wellness model by advocating self-care and home remedies amongst the community.

Features of Health & Wellness Centres:

• Some of the features of AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres include medicinal plants garden, yoga space, providing training and suggestions for home treatment, promoting Dincharya (Art of healthy Living), Ritucharya (Wellness calendar) and a personalized healthcare approach.

SPORTS

Khelo India Scheme extended till 2025-26

• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has decided to extend the Khelo India scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The Ministry has furnished an Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) memorandum to the Ministry of Finance for extension/continuation of the Khelo India Scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

• An amount of Rs 8750 crore has been estimated as the financial implication of the new Khelo India Scheme (2021-22 to 2025-26) in the EFC memorandum furnished to the Ministry of Finance. An amount of Rs 657.71 crore has been allocated in the Budget Estimate (B.E.) for the year 2021-22 under the Khelo India Scheme.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Vajra’ commissioned to the Indian Coast Guard

• L&T-built Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ICGS Vajra was commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, at Chennai. ICGS Vajra is the sixth vessel in the series of seven OPVs being built by L&T under a Ministry of Defence contract signed in the year 2015. Like the five OPVs in the series, ICGS Vajra was also delivered ahead of the contractual schedule.

• OPVs are long-range surface ships, capable of operation in maritime zones of India, including island territories with helicopter operation capabilities.

• Their roles include coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones of India, control and surveillance, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations with limited wartime roles. It can attain a sustained speed of up to 26 knots.

• The entire design and construction process has been certified by the American Bureau of Shipping as well as the Indian Registrar of Shipping and overseen by the ICG’s resident team at Kattupalli.

India conducts first-ever joint patrol in Madagascar EEZ

• In a first, the navies of India and Madagascar undertook joint patrolling of Madagascar’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and also conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX). The first-ever joint patrol between the navies reflects the growing defence ties between the two Indian Ocean neighbours aimed at the common objective of ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• Indian Naval Ship INS Shardul made a port call at Antsiranana, Madagascar as part of the First Training Squadron’s (1TS) Overseas Deployment. INS Shardul and Malagasy Navy ship MNS Trozona carried out a Passage Exercise (PASSEX). The Joint exercise bears testimony to the growing bonds between the maritime forces of both the nations and aimed at common objectives of ensuring mariti

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Saurabh Garg appointed as new CEO of UIDAI

• Senior bureaucrat, Saurabh Garg has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre. Mr Garg is at present serving in his cadre state Odisha. He is a 1991 batch IAS officer.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Mr Garg as the CEO, UIDAI in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.

Atish Chandra appointed as CMD of Food Corporation of India

• Atish Chandra has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director, Food Corporation of India in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary.

• Mr Chandra, a 1994 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, is currently Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.

Anish Shah to take over as M&M’s Managing Director, CEO

• Anish Shah who is set to take over as the managing director and CEO of Mahindra and Mahindra from 2 April will become the first professional executive to oversee the entire business of the $19.4 billion Mahindra Group. Pawan Goenka will retire as MD and CEO and member of the board effective April 2.

• Group chairman Anand Mahindra will be taking on a non-executive role. The markets regulator Sebi has mandated that from April 2022 the chairperson of the board of top 500 listed entities must be a non-executive director and not be related to the MD or CEO.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Earth Hour 2021: 27 March

• Every year, the Earth Hour is celebrated worldwide on the last Saturday of March month to show support for the fight against climate change and commitment towards a better planet. Earth Hour 2021 is being marked on March 27, 2021. The Earth Hour 2021 theme will focus on “Climate Change to Save Earth.”

• The Day is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), encouraging individuals, communities, corporates, and households to turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 to raise awareness for energy consumption and its effects on the environment.

World Theatre Day: 27 March

• World Theatre Day is observed globally on 27th March every year. World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), France. It is celebrated annually on the 27th March by ITI Centres and the international theatre community. This day is a celebration for those who can see the value and importance of the art form “theatre”, and acts as a wake-up-call for governments, politicians and institutions which have not yet recognised its value to the people and to the individual and have not yet realised its potential for economic growth.

• Every year the Executive Council of ITI chooses an outstanding theatre personality to write the message for World Theatre Day. The author of the Message of World Theatre Day 2021 is Helen MIRREN, United Kingdom. The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962.

INTERNATIONAL

Indian-American Doctor Vivek Murthy appointed as US Surgeon General

•The US Senate has voted, 57-43, to confirm the appointment of Indian-American doctor Vivek Murthy as the Surgeon General under US President Biden’s administration.

•The 43-year-old Dr Murthy would occupy the position of America’s Surgeon General for the second time. Prior to this, Dr Murthy was appointed as surgeon general under the Obama administration in 2011 but was fired by former President Trump in 2017.

World’s first Ship Tunnel to be built in Norway

•The Norwegian Coastal Administration has received the green signal to start working on the construction of the world’s first tunnel, being built exclusively for ships. The tunnel is dubbed as “Stad Ship Tunnel” and would be built under the mountainous Stadhavet peninsula in northwestern Norway.

About the Tunnel:

•The 1.7 km tunnel will be able to handle ships of up to 16,000 tonnes and give ships a safer passage through the treacherous Stadhavet Sea.

•The tunnel will be 49 metres (161 ft) high and 36 metres (118 ft) wide.

•It is estimated to cost at least 2.8 billion Norwegian kroner (NZ$460 million) the construction of this ship tunnel.

•The construction would begin in 2022 and would take three to four years to complete.

NATIONAL

Nirmala Sitharaman launches Central Scrutiny Centre and IEPFA mobile App

•Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman virtually inaugurated Central Scrutiny Centre (CSC) and Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority’s (IEPFA) Mobile App. The two tech-enabled initiatives have been launched by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to leverage digital solutions to achieve the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Digitally empowered India.

About the Moblie App:

•The Mobile App will focus on financial literacy by spreading investors’ awareness, education, and protection among investors.

•The Mobile App has been developed for citizen engagement and information dissemination to promote awareness among investors.

Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates Kurnool Airport in Andhra Pradesh

•Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated the Kurnool Airport, in Andhra Pradesh virtually. The flight operations at Kurnool airport will begin on 28 March 2021. This airport has been developed under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN).

About the airport:

•Kurnool airport will bring the region closer to major hubs in South India by providing direct flight operations to Bangalore, Vishakhapatnam and Chennai.

•Kurnool is the 6th airport in Andhra Pradesh to become functional after Kadapa, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Rajahmundry & Vijayawada.

SPORTS

ISSF World Cup: India’s Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar Wins Gold

•India’s Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won gold in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi. The 20-year-old became the youngest in history to win a shooting World Cup gold in the 3 Positions event. The two other Indian shooters in the final, Sanjeev Rajput finishing sixth and Niraj Kumar came at the last position.

•This was India’s 8th gold medal in the ongoing World Cup. India continues to dominate the medal tally with 15 so far. India has won three silver medals and four bronze to go with the eight gold medals.

OBITUARY

Acclaimed Polish Poet Adam Zagajewski passes away

•Renowned Polish poet Adam Zagajewski has passed away. He was a leading figure in Poland’s New Wave or Generation ’68, a literary movement of the late 1960s that called for a simple language to relate directly to reality.

•Zagajewski’s “Try to Praise the Mutilated World,” was translated into English by Clare Cavanaugh and published in The New Yorker.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Sanjeev Kumar appointed as Chairman of Airports Authority of India

•IAS Sanjeev Kumar has appointed as Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

•Kumar is a 1993-batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment.

Principal Scientific Advisor K. VijayRaghavan gets extension

•The government has extended the term of Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) K. VijayRaghavan by a year. He was appointed PSA in 2018 after retiring as Secretary of, Department of Biotechnology. His contract ends on April 2 but has now been extended until April 2022.

•Since the pandemic began, the Office of the PSA has been among the key coordinating agencies with industry, research bodies, health and science ministries to accelerate the development of diagnostics, drugs and vaccines. The PSA office has also been instrumental in formulating the National Science Innovation and Technology Policy as well as the forthcoming National Research Foundation.

CJI SA Bobde recommends Justice NV Ramana as his successor

•Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde has recommended Justice NV Ramana’s name as his successor after he retires next month. CJI Bobde is set to retire on 23 April. In a letter to the Law Ministry, CJI SA Bobde recommended Justice Ramana as his successor. Justice NV Ramana is the most senior judge in the apex court after CJI Bobde. On appointment, Justice NV Ramana will be the 48th Chief Justice of India and he will have a long tenure as CJI for over 16 months.

•The Centre had last week asked CJI Bobde to recommend his successor. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had reportedly sent a letter to Justice Bobde, seeking his recommendation, as is the practice under the Memorandum of Procedure for Appointment of Chief Justice of India. The recommendation letter has to come around a month before the vacancy arises.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World TB Day 2021: Kerala's TB eradication programme bags national honour

•Kerala’s tuberculosis eradication programme had won national honour as the state bagged the Union government’s award for reducing the prevalence of the disease through various systematic initiatives. Kerala is the only state had chosen for recognition in the state category.

•The southern state has reduced the TB prevalence rate by 5 per cent in the last five years as part of achieving sustainable development goals. The nation has set an ambitious goal to achieve “End Tuberculosis” by reducing the incidence of new TB cases by 80% by 2025, five years ahead of UN Sustainable Development Goals.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Asha Bhosle to be honoured with ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’

•Legendary singer Asha Bhosle will be honoured with the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan Award for the year 2020. A committee chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray decided to select Ms Bhosle for the award for the year 2020. Ms Bhosle, whose sister Lata Mangeshkar won the award for 1997, said she got to know from Mr Thackeray that she has been selected for the award for 2020. Ms Bhosle received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2000.

•The award, instituted in 1996 by the State government to recognise distinguished work and achievements of eminent persons from the State, representing different walks of life, carries a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh and a citation.

•The first Maharashtra Bhushan awardee was Marathi writer P.L. Deshpande and the last winner of this award was historian Babasaheb Purandare who got it for the year 2015.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

A book titled ‘My Experiments with Silence’ authored by Samir Soni

•The book “My Experiments with Silence” is authored by Samir Soni on anxiety and self -discovery. Soni’s book aims to be a personal account of his dialogues with himself during his growing-up years in Delhi, his stint at Wall Street and his time in Bollywood.

•The book will be published by OM Books International. Soni said his book will be an “ode to anyone who has fought or is fighting their inner demons”.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Indian Overseas Bank launches ‘IOB Trendy’ savings account

•Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has launched ‘IOB Trendy’, a savings account customised for the growing millennial population in the country by keeping their banking preferences in mind. IOB Trendy is a Savings Bank Account Scheme introduced by the bank towards this endeavour.

About the IOB Trendy account

•For opening an IOB Trendy account, a customer needs to be within the age bracket of 21 – 38 years.

•The account may be self or jointly operated. In the case of a joint account, the primary holder has to be a millennial at the time of account opening.

•There is no ‘Opening Balance’ requirement for IOB Trendy. So, no charges will be levied for the first month for non-maintenance of balance.

•However, IOB Trendy customers need to maintain a daily minimum balance of Rs.10,000 or a daily minimum balance of Rs.5,000 and a digital turnover (transactions using IOB ATM / CDM / IOB Mobile Banking or Internet Banking fund transfer / IOB UPI transactions or IOB Debit card POS transactions) of a minimum of Rs.20,000 per month.

•The millennial-focused account also offers features like an online application submission facility, free personalised accident (death) insurance cover of Rs.5 lakh if the quarterly average balance is Rs.1 lakh and above, auto-sweep facility when the balance exceeds Rs.50,000 among others.

INTERNATIONAL

Pabbi-Anti-Terror 2021: India, Pakistan and China to hold anti-terror exercise

• The eight-member bloc said that the decision to hold the joint exercise ‘Pabbi-Anti-Terror 2021’ was announced during the 36th meeting of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, including India, Pakistan and China, will hold a joint anti-terrorism exercise this year.

• “Decisions have been made to improve cooperation between the competent authorities of the SCO member states in identifying and suppressing channels that finance terrorist activities. Delegations of the competent authorities of India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the RATS Executive Committee attended the meeting.

NATIONAL

POWERGRID Launches Certified E-Tendering Portal “PRANIT”

• Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID) has launched an “e-Tendering Portal” called ‘PRANIT’ to make the tendering process more transparent. The portal ”PRANIT” will involve less paperwork and allow ease of operation, which in turn will make the tendering process more transparent.

• The portal has been certified by Standardisation, Testing and Quality Certification Directorate (STQC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. POWERGRID is the only organization in India to have an e-procurement solution on SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), complying with all applicable requirements relating to security and transparency as stipulated by STQC.

Andhra Pradesh to launch India’s first Govt-Run Animal Ambulance Network

• The state government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to set up “India’s first government-run ambulance network” for animals. This decision was taken in order to further boost the animal husbandry and veterinary sector in the state. Ambulance network as one of its main missions in order to help in reaching out to the distressed animals to provide them with proper animal healthcare. The Animal Husbandry Department was directed to set up one Mobile Ambulance Veterinary Clinic at each of the assembly constituency.

• A total of 175 mobile ambulances (veterinary) clinics will be placed at Assembly Constituency Level on the lines of 108 Services for providing Veterinary services at the doorstep.

• These mobile ambulances shall provide veterinary first aid services along with spot diagnosis and attending to emergency cases. One of the major facilities these ambulances will provide is the ‘Hydraulic Lift’ facility to lift animals and shift them to the nearest Government Veterinary Facility in case of emergency.

• One veterinary doctor, One Para-veterinary worker, will be assigned to every ambulance.

• These ambulances will also have a 24/7 toll-free call centre.

• The department of Animal Husbandry has briefed CM that there are around 1576 veterinary dispensaries established across the state, with around 1376 veterinary doctors recruited.

• The chief minister said that more veterinary doctors need access to better functioning and better treatment.

Ramesh Pokhriyal inaugurates Shaheed Bhagat Singh Smarak in New Delhi

• The Union Minister of Education, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, virtually inaugurated the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Smarak in New Delhi on March 23, 2021.

• The inauguration took place on the occasion of a programme organised by the University of Delhi on ‘Shaheed Diwas’ to pay homage and commemorate 90 years of martyrdom of our national icons of the Indian National Movement –Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru.

SPORTS

Shreyas Iyer Signs Up With Lancashire For Royal London Cup 2021

• English county Lancashire has announced the overseas signing of India batsman Shreyas Iyer for the 2021 Royal London Cup. Iyer becomes 6th Indian to sign for Lancashire. Iyer will arrive at Old Trafford on July 15 ahead of the start of the 50-over tournament and will remain with Lancashire for the duration of the month-long group stage. The top-order batsman is regarded as one of the most attacking and fluent stroke players in Indian cricket and he has played in 21 ODIs and 29 T20 Internationals for his country.

• The signing of Shreyas Iyer signals the latest step in Lancashire's long association with Indian cricket, which stretches back more than 50 years when India wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer joined the county in 1968. He would go on to become a Lancashire legend and now serves as a vice-president of the club. Since Engineer retired, four other Indian players -- Murali Kartik, Dinesh Mongia, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly -- have represented Lancashire.

India’s Singhraj wins gold in Para Shooting World Cup 2021

• Indian para-athlete Singhraj won the gold medal in the 2021 Para Shooting World Cup at Al Ain in the UAE. He defeated Uzbekistan’s Server Ibragimov to get the top honour in the P1 – Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 final.

• Singhraj pipped Rio 2016 bronze medallist Ibragimov by a thin margin of 2.8 points. The final score read 236.8-234. Turkey’s former Paralympic champion Muharrem Korhan Yamaç took the bronze with 214.4 points. With this, India has moved to third place in the medals table. India has now two medals on its list – one gold and one bronze.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

• International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed annually on 25th March every year. This day offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.

• 2021 Theme: “Ending Slavery’s Legacy of Racism: A Global Imperative for Justice”

• International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a United Nations international observance designated in 2007 to be marked on 25 March every year. The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade, which has been called “the worst violation of human rights in history”, in which over 400 years more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India, Japan agree for greater cooperation in patent verification

• India and Japan have agreed to recognize each other’s offices to act mutually as competent International Searching and International Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) for any international patent application filed with them. This memorandum of cooperation on the industrial property was arrived at during the 4th review meeting between DPIIT and Japan Patent Office.

• India had approved an MoC between the Indian Patent Office (IPO) and the JPO for entering into a PPH on a pilot basis for three years. This is a reciprocal arrangement, so the JPO will also be able to accelerate the prosecution of a Japanese application using positive examination results received from the IPO. The IPO will only offer acceleration for patent applications in certain technical fields such as physics, computer science, IT, electronics, metallurgy and automobiles.

UP and MP sign agreement with Jal Shakti Ministry for ‘Ken-Betwa Link’ project

• On the occasion of World Water Day, the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh signed an agreement with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to implement the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project. The main purpose of this project is to carry water from surplus regions to drought-prone and water-scarce region through the interlinking of rivers.

• The surplus water will be transferred from the Ken river in Panna district in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa river in Uttar Pradesh.

• The project will benefit the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, by resolving the water scarcity and thus bring prosperity to this region.

• The water will be transferred through the construction of the Dhaudan Dam and a 221 km-long canal.

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project will provide annual irrigation of 2.51 lakh hectares, 1,700 million cubic meters (mcm) of water to Uttar Pradesh and drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also generate 103 MW of hydropower.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Hindi Writer Prof. Sharad Pagare Selected for Vyas Samman 2020

• Well known Hindi writer, Prof. Sharad Pagare will be conferred with the prestigious Vyas Samman – 2020. He will be awarded the 31st Vyas Samman for his novel “Patliputru Ki Samragi”.

• The Vyas Samman started in 1991, is given by KK Birla Foundation for an outstanding literary work in Hindi authored by an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years. It carries an award of four lakh rupees along with a citation and plaque.

INTERNATIONAL

Russia Launches 38 Satellites From 18 Countries Into Space

•Russian space agency ‘Roscosmos’ successfully launched 38 foreign satellites into orbit, onboard Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The 38 satellites belonged to 18 countries including South Korea, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy and Brazil. One of these satellites named ‘Challenge-1’ was the first-ever satellite made completely in Tunisia, which was created by the Telnet telecommunications group.

•In 2018, a Soyuz rocket carrying a Russian cosmonaut and a NASA astronaut failed mid-flight, forcing the crew to carry out an emergency landing. Both survived without injuries.

NATIONAL

Indian Armed Forces 4th Strongest in the World

•China has the strongest military force in the world while India stands at number four, according to a study released by defence website Military Direct. China has the strongest military in the world, scoring 82 out of 100 points in the index. The USA, despite their enormous military budgets, comes in 2nd place with 74 points, followed by Russia with 69, India at 61 and then France with 58. The U.K. just about makes the Top 10, coming in 9th place with a score of 43.

•The study said “ultimate military strength index” was calculated after taking into consideration various factors including budgets, number of inactive and active military personnel, total air, sea, land and nuclear resources, average salaries, and weight of equipment.

SPORTS

India Legends wins 2020-21 Road Safety World Series T-20

•In Cricket, India Legends defeated Sri Lanka Legends by 14 runs to clinch the Road Safety World Series final title, held at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

•India Legends put up a total of 181/4 but Sri Lanks Legends could manage 167/7. Sachin Tendulkar was the captain of the India Legends.

Nozomi Okuhara bags women’s singles titles at All England Open

•Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara has won the All England Badminton Championships women’s title as she defeated Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-16 in the finals. In the men’s category, Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia has won the All England Badminton Championships title as he defeated Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the summit clash. With this win, Malaysia’s title drought came to an end and it is after four years, that someone from the country has managed to win the All England Open. Lee Chong Wei had last won the All England Open for Malaysia in 2017.

List of winners: All England Badminton Championships 2021:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO Demonstrates India’s First Free-Space Quantum Communication

•In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully demonstrated free-space Quantum Communication over a distance of 300 metres, with several technologies developed within the country. The demonstration included live video conferencing using quantum-key-encrypted signals, at Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, between two line-of-sight buildings within the campus.

•The experiment was done at night to ensure that there is no interference from the direct sunlight. This is a major milestone achievement for unconditionally secured satellite data-communication using quantum technologies.

OBITUARY

Acclaimed Egyptian feminist Nawal Saadawi passes away

•Nawal Saadawi, a renowned Egyptian feminist, psychiatrist and novelist, whose writings have stirred controversy for decades in an overwhelmingly conservative society passed away. She was a fierce advocate of women rights in Egypt and the Arab world.

•In 2005, she was awarded the Inana International Prize in Belgium, a year after she received the North-South prize from the Council of Europe. In 2020, Time Magazine named her on their 100 Women of the Year list. She was the founder and head of the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association and co-founder of the Arab Association for Human Rights.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Arindam Bagchi takes charge as MEA spokesperson

•Arindam Bagchi, an officer of the 1995 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has assumed charge as the new spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA). He is replacing Anurag Srivastava, an officer of the 1999 batch of IFS.

•Before this, Bagchi was serving as the joint secretary (north) at the MEA headquarters. He was an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1995 batch. In past, he has served as India’s ambassador to Croatia from November 2018 to June 2020. He was also India’s deputy high commissioner to Sri Lanka.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March

•World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on 24 March to create awareness among the public about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.

•The theme of World TB Day 2021 – ‘The Clock is Ticking’ –conveys the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put End TB progress at risk, and to ensure equitable access to prevention and care in line with WHO’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

•Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects your lungs. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

•Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body, including your kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs, signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For example, tuberculosis of the spine may give you back pain, and tuberculosis in your kidneys might cause blood in your urine.

World Meteorological Day observed globally on 23 March

•The World Meteorological Day is celebrated every year on 23 March to commemorate the date of the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization in 23 March 1950. The day also highlights the contribution that the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services make to the safety and well-being of society.

•The World Meteorological Day theme is “The ocean, our climate and weather” celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

Shaheed Diwas Observed On 23 March

•Every year, March 23 is observed as Martyrs Day (Shaheed Diwas or Sarvodaya Day) to pay tribute on the death anniversary of the freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru, who laid their lives for the freedom of India.

•It was on March 23 in 1931, in Lahore (Pakistan), that these three were hanged to death for assassinating John Saunders, a British police officer in 1928. They had mistaken him for British police superintendent James Scott, who had ordered lathi-charge, which eventually led to the death of Lala Lajpat Rai. Also, 30 January is observed as Martyr’s Day or Shaheed Diwas in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI imposes Rs 15 lakh penalty on Fedbank Financial Services

•The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 15 lakh on Fedbank Financial Services Limited, Mumbai. The penalty has been imposed for non-compliance with “certain provisions of the directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) contained in ”Monitoring of Frauds in NBFCs (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016′.

•The statutory inspection of the company with reference to its financial position as of March 31, 2019, revealed, inter alia, non-compliance with the directions issued by it. The inspection report of the Koyana Sahakari Bank based on its financial position as of March 31, 2019, revealed that it had exceeded the prudential inter-bank (single bank) exposure limit.

RBI sets up external advisory committee for evaluating banking applications

•The Reserve Bank of India has announced the names of the members of the Standing External Advisory Committee (SEAC) for evaluating applications for Universal Banks as well as Small Finance Banks. The committee has five members, with former RBI deputy governor Shyamala Gopinath as the chairperson. The panel will have a tenure of three years.

•Other members include Revathy Iyer, director, central board, RBI; B Mahapatra, former executive director, National Payments Corporation of India; T N Manoharan, former chairman, Canara Bank; and Hemant G Contractor, former MD, State Bank of India, and former Chairman, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority. According to guidelines, applications for universal banks and SFBs will first be evaluated by the RBI to ensure prima facie eligibility of the applicants, after which the newly formed committee will evaluate the applications.

NATIONAL

GoI launched “Gram Ujala Scheme” for Rural Areas

•The government of India has launched the “Gram Ujala Scheme” to provide the cheapest LED bulbs in rural areas. The scheme was launched by the Union power and new and renewable energy minister, Raj Kumar Singh. In the first phase, the scheme was launched from Arrah district in Bihar. In this phase, around 15 million LED bulbs will be distributed in the villages of Arrah (Bihar), Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and western Gujarat.

•The Gram Ujala Scheme is an ambitious scheme that offers the world’s cheapest LED bulbs in rural areas. This is the first such scheme in India. It provides the LED Bulbs in these areas at a mere Rs.10. This scheme also furthers its climate change strategy and strengthen the self-reliance credentials. The scheme does not come with the government’s support or subsidy.

Indian Navy undertakes exercise PASSEX with Royal Bahrain Naval Force

•Indian Navy on 18th March undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Royal Bahrain Naval Force Corvette Al Muharraq in the Persian Gulf under Operation Sankalp. PASSEXs are conducted regularly by the Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea.

•The exercises are aimed at fostering interoperability and reflecting the commitments of both, India and Bahrain, to build cooperative partnerships in meeting emergent maritime challenges.

Maharashtra farmers start fresh fruit cake ‘movement’

•Fruit growers in rural Maharashtra have started an innovative ‘movement’ to promote fresh fruit cakes as a healthier option, instead of the traditional bakery-made cakes. According to farmers and agrarian experts, the aim of this ‘spontaneous’ movement is to encourage farmers and their families to increase the intake of fruits in their diet and to find a new way of selling their produce in times of the pandemic.

•As part of the movement, farmers, their families and various organisations of cultivators are encouraging cakes made locally using fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, grapes, orange, pineapple and banana while celebrating special events.

Bihar becomes first state to have own ethanol policy

•Bihar Cabinet has approved the Ethanol Production Promotion Policy, 2021, becoming the 1st Indian State to have an ethanol promotion policy. The policy allows the extraction of ethanol, which was restricted to sugarcane, from surplus quantities of maize as well. The new policy would permit ethanol production in Bihar from all feedstocks permitted by National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, and subsequently by the National Biofuel Coordination Committee.

•The Assembly was informed of the cabinet decision by deputy chief minister Renu Devi as the industry minister Shahnawaz Husain was away in poll-bound West Bengal for campaigning. So far, the government of India has granted permission for ethanol production from B-heavy molasses, C-heavy molasses, grains unfit for human consumption, sugarcane juice, sugar, sugar syrup, surplus rice and maize.

SPORTS

ISSF WC: Yashaswini wins first gold for India

•Yashaswini Deswal bagged the first gold medal for India in the Women’s 10M Air Pistol final of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun. Deswal accumulated 238.8 points to lead in her category. Another Indian shooter Manu Bhaker won a silver medal with 236.7 points.

•World number one shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar clinched the bronze medal in 10m Air Rifle (men’s category) and opened India’s medal account in the competition.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Defence Ministry deal with BDL to acquire 4,690 anti-tank guided missiles

•The Defence Ministry has sealed a deal with the public sector undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to acquire 4,960 MILAN-2T anti-tank guided missiles at a cost of ₹ 1,188 crores for the Indian Army. The missiles, having a range of 1,850 metres, are being produced by BDL under license from French defence major MBDA Missile Systems. These missiles can be fired from the ground as well as vehicle-based launchers and can be deployed in the anti-tank role for both offensive and defensive tasks.

•The missile is being produced by BDL under license from MBDA Missile Systems, France. These missiles can be fired from the ground as well as vehicle-based launchers and can be deployed in Anti-Tank Role for both offensive & defensive tasks and will further enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces.

OBITUARY

Former Sebi chairman GV Ramakrishna passes away

•Former Sebi chairman GV Ramakrishna passed away. He was appointed as the chairman of markets regulator Sebi in 1990 when it lacked legal status. He headed that body till 1994 and then became the first chairman of the Disinvestment Commission in 1996.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

•The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March to remind people about the negative consequences of racial discrimination. This year theme is “Youth standing up against racism”. It engages the public through #FightRacism, which aims to foster a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination and calls on each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.

•The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.

•In 1979, the General Assembly adopted a programme of activities to be undertaken during the second half of the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. On that occasion, the General Assembly decided that a week of solidarity with the peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination, beginning on 21 March, would be organized annually in all States.

World Poetry Day: 21 March

•World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March every year to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world. The Day celebrates one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity. Practised throughout history – in every culture and on every continent – poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace.

•UNESCO first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

67th National Film Awards Announced

•The 67th National Film Awards are currently being announced in New Delhi. The awards are for films from the year 2019. The event is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, which comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The ceremony was supposed to be held in May last year but was delayed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

list of all the winners:

Feature Film Awards

•Best Feature Film: Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

•Best Actor (shared): Manoj Bajpayee for Bhonsle (Hindi), and Dhanush for Asuran (Tamil)

•Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for Panga (Hindi) and Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (Hindi)

•Best Supporting Actress: Pallavi Joshi for The Tashkent Files (Hindi)

•Best Supporting Actor: Vijay Sethupathi for Super Deluxe (Tamil)

•Best Director: Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan for Bahattar Hoorain (Hindi)

•Best Debut Film of a Director: Mathukutty Xavier for Helen (Malayalam)

•Best Child Artist: Naga Vishal for KD (Tamil)

•Best Action Direction: Avane Srimannarayana (Kannada), Vikram Mor

•Best Choreography: Maharishi (Telugu), Raju Sundaram

•Best Special Effects: Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam), Siddharth Priyadarshan

•Special Jury Award: Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Radhakrishnan Parthiban

•Best Lyrics: Prabha Varma for Kolaambi (Malayalam)

•Best Music Direction: D. Imman for Viswasam (Tamil)

•Best Background Music: Prabuddha Banerjee for Jyeshthoputro (Bengali)

•Best Make-up Artist: Ranjith for Helen (Malayalam)

•Best Costumes: Sujith Sudhakaran and V. Sai for Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

•Best Production Design: Anandi Gopal (Marathi), Sunil Nigwekar and Nilesh Wagh

•Best Audiography (Location Sound Recordist): Iewduh (Khasi), Debajit Gayan

•Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the final mixed track): Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Resul Pookutty

•Best Screenplay (Original): Jyeshthoputro (Bengali), Kaushik Ganguly

•Best Screenplay (Adapted): Gumnaami (Bengali), Srijit Mukherji

•Best Screenplay (Dialogue Writer): The Tashkent Files (Hindi), Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri

•Best Cinematography: Jallikattu (Malayalam), Gireesh Gangadharan

•Best Editing: Jersey (Telugu), Navin Nooli

•Best Children’s Film: Kastoori (Hindi)

•Best Film on Environment Conservation: Water Burial (Monpa)

•Best Film on Social Issues: Anandi Gopal (Marathi)

•Best Film on National Integration: Tajmahal (Marathi)

•Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Maharishi (Telugu)

•Best Female Playback Singer: Savani Ravindra for Bardo (Marathi)

•Best Male Playback Singer: B Praak for Kesari (Hindi)

Best Films in Each Language:

•Best Hindi Film: Chhichhore

•Best Telugu Film: Jersey

•Best Malayalam Film: Kalla Nottam

•Best Tamil Film: Asuran

•Best Paniya Film: Kenjira

•Best Mishing Film: Anu Ruwad

•Best Khasi Film: Iewduh

•Best Chattisgarhi Film: Bhulan the Maze

•Best Haryanvi Film: Chhoriyan Chhoron Se Kam Nahi Hoti

•Best Tulu Film: Pingara

•Best Punjabi Film: Rab Da Radio 2

•Best Odia Film: Kalira Atita and Sala Budhar Badla (shared)

•Best Manipuri Film: Eigi Kona

•Best Marathi Film: Bardo

•Best Konkani Film: Kaajro

•Best Kannada Film: Akshi

•Best Bengali Film: Gumnaami

•Best Assamese Film: Ronuwa – Who Never Surrender

•Special Mentions: Biriyani (Malayalam), Jonaki Porua (Assamese), Lata Bhagwan Kare (Marathi) and Picasso (Marathi)

Non-Feature Film Awards

•Best Voice-over/ Narration: Sir David Attenborough for wild Karnataka (English)

•Best Music Direction: Bishakhjyoti for Kranti Darshi Guruji – Ahead of Times (Hindi)

•Best Editing: Arjun Gourisaria for Shut Up Sona (Hindi/ English)

•Best Audiography: Radha (Musical), Allwin Rego and Sanjay Maurya

•Best On-Location Sound Recordist: Rahas (Hindi), Saptarshi Sarkar

•Best Cinematography: Savita Singh for Sonsi (Hindi)

•Best Direction: Sudhanshu Saria for Knock Knock Knock (English/ Bengali)

•Best Film on Family Values: Oru Paathira Swapnam Pole (Malayalam)

•Best Short Fiction Film: Custody (Hindi/ English)

•Special Jury Award: Small Scale Societies (English)

•Best Animation Film: Radha (Musical)

•Best Investigative Film: Jakkal (Marathi)

•Best Exploration Film: Wild Karnataka (English)

•Best Educational Film: Apples and Oranges (English)

•Best Film on Social Issues: Holy Rights (Hindi) and Ladli (Hindi)

•Best Environment Film: The Stork Saviours (Hindi)

•Best Promotional Film: The Shower (Hindi)

•Best Arts and Culture Film: Shrikshetra-Ru-Sahijata (Odia)

•Best Biographical Film: Elephants Do Remember (English)

•Best Ethnographic Film: Charan-Atva The Essence of Being a Nomad (Gujarati)

•Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director: Raj Pritam More for Khisa (Marathi)

•Best Non-Feature Film: An Engineered Dream (Hindi)

RANKING

India slips to 56th rank in Global Home Price Index

•India has moved down 13 spots in the latest global home price index to finish last at 56th rank in the quarter ending December 2020. Against its 43rd rank a year ago, India saw a decline of 3.6% year-on-year (YoY) in home prices, leading to the drop in global position, showed Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index. India was the weakest-performing country during the fourth quarter of 2020, with a decline of 3.6% in home prices, followed by Morocco with a drop of 3.3%.

•According to the report, markets like New Zealand (19%), Russia (14%), the US (10%), Canada and UK (both 9%) have recorded accelerated growth in rankings in the last three months due to a growth in housing demand.

•The index tracks the movement in mainstream residential prices across 56 countries and territories worldwide using official statistics. In the 12-month percentage change for the period Q4 2019 – Q4 2020, Turkey continues to lead the annual rankings with prices up by 30.3% on-year, followed by New Zealand at 18.6% and Slovakia at 16.0%.